Sick Puppy
by Kaline Reine
Summary: A boy grew up being abused and believing he was a dog. Itachi is an FBI agent who has spent his life tracking down a criminal, and searching for his lost brother... What will happen their paths cross? ItaSasu, with other pairings. Title was changed.
1. Chapter 1

**Dark Puppy (Puppy Love Revisited)  
Story # 0162:  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or anything related to the anime, manga, or series. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator.**

**WARNINGS: ItaSasu fic, Uchihacest, incest, YAOI, etc. It will be graphic, and there will be some very disturbing things in this one. (Adult stuff!) I hope you like it anyway, but if you don't, you were warned. …You're welcome for the warning. Why do people always insist on ignoring these things? If you can ignore this warning, then you can ignore the whole fic and all that offends you about it, as well.**

**I will also warn you that this is the newer, re-written version of Puppy Love. So it won't be what it was the first time around. I tried writing something lighthearted and fun but that didn't work. This will have lots of gore, abuse, sadness, tragedy, and angst. It will be a much darker fic. I can't promise you a happy ending this time around. I can't promise you a happy anything.**

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_._**  
Chapter 1:  
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_…Where am I?…_

_Here in this dark place… Light does not always prevail over darkness. I've been in the dark for far too long. I'm lost… I feel so… dead._

_When will someone find me? When will they breathe new life into me? When can my heart finally beat on it's own, free from these chains? How much longer will I have to endure all of this pain?_

_Can they help me? Is there a cure for… what I am?_

_…What am I?…  
._

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It was a dark day. The rain fell from the clouds, drowning the world with tears. Everything seemed to be coated in a thick veil of sadness that day. Even the sky wept for what was happening down below, on earth.

A grim, dreary silence had fallen over the Uchiha household. Mikoto was in labor, and her sounds could be heard. She'd needed to go to a hospital, like she had with their first born. Her husband was silent and brooding, looming over her like an angered demon. She saw the fire blazing in his eyes, as he looked over her. His face was an emotionless mask, as he watched his wife push in vain, trying to give life to something that was too small to be on it's own yet.

The thoughts of what they were going to do to it unnerved her. She did not want to give up her second child. She'd been told that they had to. Although she really wanted to keep him, it would all be for nothing. It made her want to resist her body's urge to push. But it seemed that she had no choice.

And then it happened.

Her long black hair stuck to her face, pasted there with sweat. Dark eyes became unfocused, as her muscles pushed against her will. She didn't want to have him with her cruel husband in the room. Yet, she was well aware that the sinister man wasn't going anywhere. She had no choice.

The shrill cries of a baby could be heard, crying it's birth to the world. Things were new once more; the world fresh and renewed. Something dark lurked in the room just across from the newborn. But the baby didn't seem to sense it.

Mikoto had just had a difficult labor, lasting far longer then it should, but this moment brought her a world of joy. Her newborn baby's smile brought one to her own face. It was like all of her agony and troubles just melted away. She barely noticed it when her husband clamped and cut the umbilical cord, his mouth still set in a grim line, showing his age.

"I'll call you… Sasuke." She breathed quietly, her breathing slowing back to normal while she held him close to her.

She could feel nothing but happiness in that moment- Until her child was snatched away from her.

"Wipe that damned smile off your face, woman," He told her firmly, once everyone but the three of them had left the room. "You know we can't keep it."

"I wasn't trying to, Fugaku. I know what we have to do… But still… A mother cannot hide her joy. I'm still proud of him… My little miracle."

"Shut up. This brat is nothing but another mouth to feed!" Her husband has scolded her for cuddling him that way. "Don't touch him. He's going to make us money, not take it away."

Mikoto cried out, trying to get to her baby, but it was no use. She was still weak from the unnatural length and force of her labor. Tears rolled down her cheeks, as she watched the cruelty of the one she loved. He took their child away.

For the baby, there was no more warm, comforting body to console it. Torn from her womb, Sasuke wasn't ready to be on his own yet. There was blood on the dark man's hands, as he walked past her, and out the other door, away from where their older son was waiting. He took the infant with him, and slipped quietly out the back door. No one knew exactly where he went from there.

This made Mikoto's pain nearly unbearable. She knew their oldest son was waiting with open arms to meet his new baby brother. He'd been so excited about it.

Itachi was too young to yet know what was going on. But he was angry with his father for doing this. He knew his mother was pregnant. He knew what that meant. Why couldn't he see his little brother? He'd been looking forward to not being an only child anymore. He waited impatiently by the doorway. He stayed there, pacing, and wanting to meet the new baby that would never come.

Fugaku listened to his wife's broken sobs, when he returned an hour later. "What have you done? Where is my baby?!"

"He didn't make it," He told her with a grim kind of satisfaction. "I'm sorry Mikoto. Our son is dead."

She wept for a long time after that. Itachi understood why. He'd wept with her. The only one who seemed to be unaffected by the baby's "death" was Fugaku.

Over time, he'd learned to accept the fact that he didn't have a brother. Itachi had known his father was a monster… But never had he known just how bad it was until that night. Ever since he'd seen his father so cold and uncaring about Sasuke's death, he'd never been able to look at the man the same again.  
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In spite of all of this, despite not having a father to look up to, Itachi had a somewhat normal childhood. He would laugh and he would play. It was just like nothing was ever wrong.

But on the inside… He held his feelings locked away.

All along, he had missed his brother. He thought about him often, and of how much fun it would have been to have someone else to play with. And of course this could only lead to thoughts of what had happened on that dreary day. That day so long ago, when his father had done something. He wasn't sure what, but he knew that both of his parents knew something more than he did.

He never could forget about his baby brother. His mother had told him his brother's name when he'd asked her. Itachi had only heard it once, but to the young boy, it had made all the difference in the world.

_ 'Sasuke… My Otouto…' _He would repeat to himself in his head. _'He would have been an amazing person.' _Though try as he might, he never could put a face with the name.

The family had dealt with this tragedy outside of the eyes and ears of everyone else. Mikoto hadn't had any medical care during her pregnancy. No one knew about it. She also hadn't gone to a hospital when she was in labor. It was all done at home. There was never any trace of the baby. Any discussion of Sasuke was taboo in their house, as Fugaku had made it abundantly clear that they were not to speak of him. And so things went on as normal.

Or as close to normal as a family that was missing someone could be. Maybe his parents didn't notice it, but to Itachi they would always be short one family member.  
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* * *

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He was small, and he was scared. But most of all… he was _alone_.

Kept in a small kennel along with some dogs, was a small boy. He was about eight years old. He didn't understand who he was or where he was, or anything. He didn't feel afraid, but only because he didn't know how to. He did not know what real fear was. Though he couldn't help but flinch away a bit, each time he was struck or made to do something uncomfortable.

Not knowing any better, he would accept the food they gave him to eat. Usually it was table scraps for him. Though he never understood why he wasn't given food from a bag or sometimes a can like the other dogs in his kennel were. On occasion, he had been known to sneak a little bit of their food. He didn't really like the taste. The food scraps were better. Though he did sometimes wonder why he was given special treatment separate from the other dogs.

"How is my little pet doing?" The man with the long black hair came to check on him. He didn't seem like a normal person. He didn't look like the others at all. He had strange purple markings around his already unusual slit yellow eyes. "Seiteki! You will answer me when I speak to you."

The little boy bit his bottom lip, and obeyed. He gave a little whine when he felt a hand come down on his rump, smacking him hard. He was regularly beaten into submission whenever he disobeyed. Bruises and scrapes marked his small body already.

"Sir, would you like me to-"

"Get out!" Orochimaru shouted at his assistant. "Can't you see I'm busy?" He was met with a skeptical look from the man in the glasses. "Relax, Kabuto. I'm not going to take him yet. He isn't ready. He will have to be older first. Right now, this is only training."

"If you say so."

No one questioned their master. He could be cruel at times, but they had all learned that he could also be merciful.

"Speak," His master told him.

"Arf!" The boy choked out a response, so he wouldn't be hit again.

"That's a good boy…"

A hand caressed his back, moving slowly over the smooth skin. Right now he was allowed to wear something to cover himself, even if it was just an over-sized T-shirt and simple shorts.

Seiteki didn't know what to do with himself. He wasn't sure about his purpose. All he knew was that he had to please his master.

"Fetch!" A ball was thrown across the room. Since all the other dogs were tied up, Seiteki knew he was supposed to go get it, and he did. "Good."

He was rewarded with a hand ruffling his hair slightly, and a few pats on the head. He was given a dog biscuit as a treat, and then he was made to lie down again. His master approached him, ignoring the way the boy was looking at him with such weary eyes. Seiteki knew he had to be cautious, so he didn't incur his master's wrath.

He allowed the man to run his hands over him. Orochimaru didn't do anything but touch him, but he could tell this time was slightly different. It felt wrong, somehow.

"Soon… Soon I will have you," The man with the long black hair spoke soothingly into his ear. "You will be mine, Seiteki."

Orochimaru continued to examine him, paying particular attention to his neck. Seiteki's collar had already been bothering him for some time now. He'd been fitted with it years ago, and it was starting to bite into his skin. He would be bleeding soon if it wasn't removed, and his airway would be blocked after that if something still was not done.

"I'll have you fitted for another collar soon. But first you'll be punished for wearing this one out."

The punishments were usually spankings, and most of them were given by his master. Seiteki hated it even worse when it was his assistant or someone else that he was not as familiar with. Sometimes he would not be able to sit for days…

Whimpering in the learned fear he now had of what would come next, Seiteki watched his master leave the kennel.  
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* * *

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Seiteki was older now. He didn't know his own age, but he was starting to get much older. There were times when his master would leave him alone for long periods of time. They grew further and further and apart, until one night the man with the long black hair came back.

His own black hair was a spiked style, with his bangs hanging low in the front. Inky black eyes stared out in quiet submission. But Seiteki had never seen his own reflection. He'd only seen the German Shepherds that were kept in the kennel with him. He assumed that he looked like them. He might have known that he was a little bit different, from what he could see. However, he was certain that he was one of them; just a dog.

He didn't like it when the man touched him like that. It didn't feel right. No matter if it felt good, or if it hurt, Seiteki had to put up with it. So he'd might as well get some pleasure along the way. He treasured those moments of pleasure, because they were so rare.

"I've been waiting for this for a long time, Seiteki…"

His breath hitched when his master's pale hands cupped his balls. He let out a yelp when they were squeezed hard. It really hurt! His eyes started to water, and the more his master's fist tightened on his tender sac, the more he squirmed. He felt a pain start low in his stomach, and it shot through him. He was in agony, and he knew that he had to get away.

First, he tried to pull away the hand that was hurting him. But his strength was nothing compared to Orochimaru's. He'd only been trained to obey, not to fight. They'd made him weak on purpose, he realized. He didn't want this.

Since his earlier training when he was younger, his shirt and shorts had been replaced. Seiteki now wore a small black thong and nothing else, except for the black metal studded collar his master had given him years ago. He still remembered the night he'd been given his new collar. He had been whipped, not by hands, but this time with a real whip. It had been awful; the pain nearly unbearable.

He couldn't make his master move his hand, and his own hand was slapped for his trouble. Then his master went for his nipples, pinching and abusing them. He whined uncomfortably, and tried to shift away.

"Stop it. You will submit to me tonight. It's time."

Slowly, he felt his flimsy black underwear, the only thing protecting him from his master's hungry gaze, being taken off of him. Slowly, the fabric slid down his legs, until he was made to step out of them. He still wore his collar, which had a long chain connecting it to the wall. This ensured that there was no possible way of escape.

And then he felt something cold and wet slipping into him. He knew better than to look back. It felt like… His master's fingers? Inside him? Seiteki wanted to know what he was doing to him, but he knew better than to try to look back. He fought against the strange sensation of something being introduced into his ass. The fingers were slippery, and they made his skin feel slick and oily too.

"That's good. Yesss… Open up for me, my pet," Orochimaru spanked him a few times, before moving to sit on his knees behind the boy. "Aww, does the doggie want a bone? You need to be a good boy."

Seiteki no longer whined or made any sound to indicate when he was being hurt. His sounds up until now had only meant he was in discomfort. And he was scared because he didn't know what was going on. The boy only understood about half of what his master was saying. Tonight was the first time he'd been hurt badly enough to complain in a long time. He knew this was new, and not a part of their normal routine. What had changed?

He felt relief as soon as the fingers were pulled from his insides. But then there was something else- something bigger- sliding into him. Without waiting for the boy under him to adjust, Orochimaru was pounding into him as hard as he could.

This time, he couldn't hold back his cries of pain. Seiteki's mournful sobs only seemed to spur his master on even more. It was no secret to anyone that Orochimaru delighted in making people suffer. And he was not being gentle with his thrusts at all.

"You worthless mutt! Stop moving! Stay!"

Seiteki understood that command, but only the one word. He only knew he'd be in trouble if he moved much more. He tried to stay still, but he was wincing every time his master moved- which was often.

"Oooh, yes…" Orochimaru moaned, leaning over him to lick his ear from behind.

Again, the boy had to stifle himself from crying out. The pain intensified with every move. It wasn't pleasurable for him at all. Tears were forming in his eyes, and he wanted desperately to fight back. Yet, he could do nothing, while his innocence was torn from him. He could feel blood beginning to trickle down between his thighs.

Seiteki was a helpless prisoner, in a place he didn't want to be. But he didn't particularly want to be anywhere else either. He'd never been anywhere else, therefore he had nothing to compare it to. He didn't long to be free, only because he did not know what freedom was. If let off his chain, he would not run away. He'd never even tried, even though he'd been given a few chances over the years. He was completely broken and tamed.

And even now, his attempts to fight back were minimal. No, he would not turn on his master. He couldn't find it in him to do anything. So he stayed there, on his hands and knees, being taken by the older, stronger man.

"Mmmh…" The disgusting man finally cried out when he had finished.

Seiteki had been expecting to be told he'd done a good job. But all he got from his master was a sharp kick in the ribs, and spit in his face to go with it.

Once he was locked away in the room by himself, he simply collapsed onto the small pile of old torn blankets they had given him for a bed. He checked his knees where they'd been scraped up on the concrete. He couldn't even bring himself to touch himself anywhere else. All he wanted was a bath, but he was always given one with the other dogs, once a week. He wanted the smell of the other man to go away. He could smell it on his own skin, and he hated it.

He'd never felt so violated in all of his young life. Seiteki couldn't believe how badly his master had managed to hurt him that night. He would be sore for days after. But he wouldn't get to rest. There would no longer be any relief from the assault on his body.

They had shown him the difference between obeying and disobeying. Seiteki had quickly learned the difference between heaven and hell. And it was all because of his cruel and merciful master.

Little did he know that out there somewhere, someone was thinking about him…  
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**-end of chapter-  
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**A/N: I hope this story will be better than the one before it. I had written another story called Puppy Love. This is the re-written version of that story. You wanted darker and more adult and you got it. This one will be much darker and gloomier and there is more abuse. That seems to be what people wanted from the first one so I'm giving it to you. I hope that you enjoy. I can say with complete honesty that I have done MY BEST with it.**

**-Kaline Reine**


	2. Chapter 2

**Dark Puppy (Puppy Love Revisited)  
Story # 0162:  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or anything related to the anime, manga, or series. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator.**

**WARNINGS: ItaSasu fic, Uchihacest, incest, YAOI, etc. It will be graphic, and there will be some very disturbing things in this one. (Adult stuff!) I hope you like it anyway, but if you don't, you were warned.**

**Also I want to add that there will also be more Madara X Itachi in this story than in the last one. Sorry but I need them to interact more.**

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**Chapter 2: **

It wasn't until Itachi got a little bit older that he started to realize something was definitely not right. He had noticed the way their family had much more money, after his baby brother's death. At the time, he'd been too young, too naive, too trusting to comprehend it. It had seemed nothing more than a simple coincidence. Now he knew better.

What had happened to his baby brother all those years ago?

Something within him would not allow him to let it go. It was like there was something slowly eating away at him from the inside. The strange feeling was always with him. He felt like there was something in this world that was not right. …Something he had _missed_, perhaps?

Whatever that something was, it bothered him a lot.

He knew his father had been lying about Sasuke dying. It was all too obvious. Fugaku didn't seem to care whether anyone knew it or not. At first Itachi had believed his father had killed his newborn brother. He'd only jumped to this conclusion because he'd been told that the baby was dead. He'd even heard his mother screaming for her son. He had always known his father was a coldhearted bastard. Although… When he really thought about it, Fugaku as murderer didn't add up either.

Where was the body? As much as Itachi didn't want to see it, a part of him did want to see it. That was the only way he would have been able to have closure. It was all about peace of mind. There was none. No evidence ever came to support the fact- no, the lie- that Sasuke had been killed by their father.

The only conclusion was that his brother was still out there somewhere. Something had happened to him. It _had_ to be true… Sasuke was alive, and he _knew it_.

He wasn't sure how he knew. But he just _knew_. Intuitively, instinctively, it was the most natural thing in the world. Sasuke was not dead. He existed… Somewhere within this dark, cruel world, there was his little brother. And Itachi missed him. Nothing could ever come close to consoling him for this loss. He hadn't even really had a taste of what it might be like to really have a brother. It had been ripped from him too soon for that kind of bond to develop. He liked to think there was a bond there, anyway.

He had even attempted to confront his parents about his suspicions on numerous occasions. His mother had said that she didn't know what happened. He knew that she knew something, but probably not what had actually become of her youngest son. What Fugaku had done, it had left no trace of evidence whatsoever.

The only people who knew of the crime he'd committed were Itachi and Mikoto. And neither of them had told anyone about it. They never even spoke of it to each other after that night. It was too morbid, too taboo, for them to ever go there.

Yet sometimes… He would see his mother all alone, when she thought no one could see, and she was crying. All alone. He wished he had it in him to offer her some comfort. Something told him it was because of Sasuke. Losing a son could do that to a woman, he supposed. Nothing he'd ever heard could be more heart-wrenching that listening to her weep for the baby that had never been. He wanted to ask her if she knew where his little brother was; if she knew what happened to him… If she had something to do with it? But the way she was crying and carrying on like that, he was fairly certain that she didn't know what had happened to him.

Itachi would always be hollow inside. He had not been like other normal boys his age. Throughout his teenage years, he had not taken an interest in dating or girls. If his parents thought it was strange, they didn't comment. It was possible that they just never noticed…

He was too busy doing other things to notice if they noticed or not, anyway.

Itachi was particularly interested in the legal field. He had always felt that justice should prevail; that people should be punished for things they had done wrong. _People like his parents. _

He'd spent many years dedicating his life to his chosen profession. And now he was an FBI agent. He was a high-ranking officer, having gone through so much to get there. He had brought many criminals to justice. He was very good at figuring people out…

But there were still two people he had just never been able to figure out. The Uchihas were a strange and difficult family.

* * *

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He was cold and hungry again. Locked inside his worn out kennel, Seiteki suffered in silence. He tried to resist the urge to whimper in pain like the other dogs. He already knew he wasn't like them.

Not quite a human, not quite a dog either…

_ '…What am I?…' _The boy often wondered.

It had been a few days since he'd been fed. He was already a pitiable sight; far too skinny, and his ribs were showing.

They had just changed facilities again, and everyone was tired. The dogs all tended to be neglected for a bit when things got busy. Orochimaru was a known criminal. He'd made a big name for himself since the old days. He had a hand in many things, from money laundering, to assassinating people for money, to selling people as pets.

He'd had lots of experience with the latter. Seiteki could remember when there used to be another pet who was like him. The other one's name was Kimimaro, and he was around the same age as Seiteki. With silken white hair, and pretty green eyes, he was really fun to just sit and look at sometimes. Only he'd been sold to the highest bidder at an auction, the moment he was of legal age.

But Seiteki didn't know that. The only thing he was aware of was the way that he'd had a playmate for a long time… And then his friend was gone. He'd only seen a few others like him. He suspected there might be more, but they weren't kept together.

It had been so nice to have someone else that was like him for a change. They could exchange a few simple words, but mostly they liked to just be in each other's company. It made their long, painful imprisonment a little bit easier to stand... Then Seiteki had been alone again.

He always wondered why the occasional other pet would come and go… Yet, somehow he always stayed. Where did they go when they were taken away from the kennels? And why did he always have to stay? Was he some kind of freak?

Had he been better at talking like the humans did, Seiteki would have asked his master all of these questions.

As it was, he was getting tired of being cooped up in his kennel with the other dogs all the time. He had come to accept, over the years, that this place was his home. Even though they switched to new locations from time to time, most of the kennels were basically the same. It was not a stable environment to grow up in. There was so much that Seiteki had no way of knowing; of experiencing. But he didn't even know he was missing out.

They would sometimes take him out for a walk, like they did with the other dogs; the German Shepherds. Ah, the other dogs… They were really quite mean. They had been trained by Orochimaru for a different purpose: To attack on command. Seiteki had seen this in action, and he'd been grateful that he was one of them and not the person being attacked.

"Dinner time," A raspy voice broke him from his reverie momentarily. It belonged to his master, which was strange. Kabuto was usually the one to feed them. "Seiteki, I brought _you_ something special."

The boy crawled forward to sniff at what was in his master's hand. When the long black tendrils unfurled, he saw that it was a whip. He whined a little, moving away from him.

"That's a bad dog!" His master kicked him in the ribs, with his steel-tie boots. It really hurt, bringing bitter tears to his eyes. "Look at you… Naked, disgusting, cold, and hungry. No wonder no one ever wanted you! You're such a pitiful sight!"

Seiteki sometimes wished he'd never bothered to try to learn any of their vile language. He was in pain. He knew he had to obey, but his body needed to protect itself. He tried to crawl away and as soon as his back was turned, a hard boot came up between his legs, and nailed him, right in the balls. It was a sore and sensitive spot. And Orochimaru had always used that place to control him in one way or another.

Holding the whip above him, Orochimaru began lashing his back with it. Each crack of the whip meant another gash across Seiteki's already scarred-up back. The mental pain from the degradation and coldness of this act was what got to Seiteki even more than the pain of actually being whipped.

He knew he would be getting no dinner tonight. Cold dark eyes glared at the other dogs across the room. They were being allowed to eat. Seiteki was so hungry, that he would have gladly killed just to have the food that they were getting.

Despite the torment he was facing, he let out a low, defiant growl. When the whip fell across his back, stinging his sore and broken skin again, he snarled viciously, his somewhat yellowed teeth showing.

"_Do not_ try my patience today!" His master growled ferociously. A leg came down hard in the middle of his back. Pain worked it's way up and down his spine, running the length of his body ruthlessly.

Seiteki knew that was the end of his halfhearted rebellion. He would do anything his master wanted now. He'd been broken a long time ago. But the boy had a fighter's heart, it seemed. Every once in a while, he would fight back a little. Inch by inch, he liked to think he might be gaining back his freedom. …Not that Seiteki had a particularly good concept of what freedom was.

Day in and day out, they went through this twisted routine. Sometimes Seiteki was left alone… But ever since that first night when he was taken by Orochimaru, the snake-like man had not let him rest. Seiteki was constantly being violated in some of the worst ways imaginable, and he was sick of it.

His spirit was broken. He no longer looked to the outside world as a place of refuge. It was most likely worst than his current situation, for all he knew. And then, there was always the fear of the unknown.

"Mmm… You're so much fun," His master rasped. "I knew from the moment I saw you that I would never be able to let you go." He licked the boy's ear.

Seiteki whined at the contact. He loathed and despised Orochimaru for this. It was impossible to make him want something that he did not want. Never once had he let himself be taken without putting up at least some kind of fight. Though his efforts were feeble and pointless, they never failed to piss off his master. This, in Seiteki's own opinion, would always make it worth it.

He wore a defiant smirk, as he shoved Orochimaru backward, watching the man fall onto his ass.

Before he could blink, his world went white for a minute. Pain filled his jaw and a sickening crack was heard, when he was punished for his insolence. This whole ordeal had been so much more painful, before his old friend Kimimaro had shown him how to fight back. He would always be grateful for that.

"Fucking filthy little bitch! I can't believe you just tried that… Tonight your punishment will be even worse! And you're going to lie there and take it, like the worthless bitch you are!"

He just ignored the man's cruel words. They didn't hurt him. Seiteki was used to being called all kinds of things. His body was used to being abused in all kinds of ways. He was used to having no freedom, and kept on a short leash, quite literally. But there was nothing they could ever do to own him. He made it a point never to speak to them. The only time he would make any kind of noise was if it was something he was ordered to do, and therefore had no choice, or he was whining in agony. He knew more words than he let on. He just didn't want to give them the satisfaction of talking to them.

Without even realizing or acknowledging it, Seiteki would always hold that little piece of himself close to his heart. He kept it hidden away, where no one would ever find it. His existence was a lonely one. But each day that passed, he couldn't help but be reminded that he felt like he was supposed to be waiting for something.

He waited, through every lash of the whip, through all the beatings he was made to endure, even through the brutal agony when they would violate him and force their way inside his body with their dirty sex; Seiteki never lost hope.

All Seiteki saw was his own will to survive, to somehow, someday escape this pitiful place.

* * *

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It was not long, unless you consider Nineteen years to be a long time, before an opportunity would present itself. Justice was on his side, or perhaps it was irony… A cruel joke played by fate? Whatever the case may be, Seiteki found himself panicking when everyone was running around screaming that day.

He was rarely let out of his kennel. He hadn't seen that much of the rest of the hideout. It wasn't like he particularly wanted to, even on a good day. Today made him glad that he was in his kennel, and not out there.

Orange flames, searing hot, destroyed everything in their path. The fire began to spread quickly, consuming the entire hideout before they could get to the dogs in their kennel. There were voices coming from the rest of the hideout. Everyone was shouting. It would only be a matter of minutes, and the whole place would be destroyed. Seiteki was fortunate, for the kennel was more of a basement, really. It was on a lower level, and it was damp and cold down there most of the time, but heat and smoke tend to rise. He didn't know this, but that was one of the things that saved him.

It was amazing that he'd even survived this far. He knew there was nothing he could do. He was chained to the wall, with no one coming to get him. His master and the others had fled from the building, in fear of being caught by the police.

A sudden blinding orange light made it's way down into the kennel. The smoke had managed to eventually seep it's way into the small, closed off room. The light flickered brightly throughout the kennel, casting strange eerie shadows over everything in the room. The Shepherd dogs had passed out from smoke inhalation by now. Their limp bodies lie curled up near the entrance way, the flames licking away at their fur and skin. The smell of it was awful.

He was confused, disoriented, and he didn't know what to do. Everything was spinning, he was feeling very dizzy. Yet Seiteki didn't fight the feeling, as one might have expected. It was a certain kind of peace for him, a blissful escape from where he was, and all the misery that came with it.

For once, he laid his head down on his tattered and torn old blankets, knowing he could finally rest in peace…

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**A/N: I want to thank all of you for the reviews. They were really encouraging and that meant a lot to me.**

**I may go back and edit this chapter again later. At the moment I am falling asleep at the keyboard. I hope it was good, and if I made mistakes I will fix them later. I just really wanted to get this chapter up for you guys… It might be a while on the next one. I want to take my time to make sure it's as good as I intend for it to be. I'm still trying really hard. Feel free to ask me questions if anything confuses you. I tried to think of everything.**

**-Kaline Reine**


	3. Chapter 3

**Dark Puppy (Puppy Love Revisited)  
Story # 0162:  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or anything related to the anime, manga, or series. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator.**

**WARNINGS: ItaSasu fic, Uchihacest, incest, YAOI, etc. It will be graphic, and there will be some very disturbing things in this one. (Adult stuff!) I hope you like it anyway, but if you don't, you were warned. Flames will only be used to make the rest of the story even hotter. ;)**

**Also I want to add that there will also be more Madara X Itachi in this story than in the last one. Sorry but I need them to interact more.**

* * *

.

**Chapter 3:**

_ He could remember when he was a child… He would play "detective". There wasn't anyone else for him to play with but that was okay. Itachi liked being alone anyway._

_First, he would set up different clues all over the house. Then he would follow them until he found the little stuffed dog he would always play with. He'd hidden it there earlier of course, just so he could find it and finish his game. He pretended it was his lost brother, and he was always so happy when he found it. He would have liked to use a baby doll or something instead. But his father had gotten him that little plush dog for Christmas one year, and it would suffice for a temporary replacement._

_Anyway, he would always find the dog in the end. It may have taken him a while, but eventually following all those clues had paid off._

_No one could never know how troubled and tormented he was by what he'd lost. He had lost something before he'd even had it. Life wasn't fair. Some might argue that it was better that he didn't have his brother before he losing him. It might be much nicer to lose someone you never had, then to lose someone you were used to spending time with, and had grown attached to. But something told Itachi that he would have treasured every moment between himself and Sasuke. He felt cheated for not having that chance at all._

_It was just a game he had played as a child… No one ever thought it would stick. They didn't know that searching for his brother would become his life's goal._

* * *

.

His job as an adult was a lot like that… Only it wasn't just lighthearted fun anymore. Every day he was reminded of just how cruel a human being can be. The things he saw made him want to gouge his eyes out sometimes, just so he would never have to see anything that horrific again.

Right now he was already prepared to see the worst. They had been following a dangerous criminal… Orochimaru. He was practically a legend in the city where Itachi worked. A man so evil, he was known for doing the most inhumane things to people. He was a horrible person. And Itachi's mission was to bring this vile man to justice.

He had been put on the case when he first became an agent. Over the course of the years, he had seen many disgusting things. But nothing had ever sickened him quite so much as this… There was no way to prepare him for what he was seeing now.

The smoke still hung thick and heavy in the air. Ashes and soot littered the floor, walls, and ceiling. There wasn't much left of what used to be the insane criminal's hideout. They had fled before anyone could arrive. The fire had destroyed most of the evidence… There wasn't going to be much left to go on, as far as tracking him down. They knew it would be difficult, but the area was buzzing with numerous FBI agents, all of them dying to prove themselves by discovering something.

Itachi had been assigned to investigate the basement. He knew it was a likely place to find things, since it would have been away from the main area where the fire had been started.

"Have we determined the cause of the fire?" The Uchiha wore a very serious expression, and was asking one of the other investigators questions.

"Yes sir. It was deliberate."

"They probably tried to burn all the evidence before we could get here…" He was stepping over debris and fallen wood right and left. "Make a note of that."

The novice wrote down everything that Itachi said. He was following behind, and Itachi had been appointed to show him the ropes. He didn't even know the guy's name, but this was his first time visiting an actual crime scene. Itachi could remember his first case too…

He looked around the small basement area, noticing the dogs that lay in a large pile just as they stepped in the door. The area around them was burned, and their fur was singed to a dark black. There was another agent who specialized in animals, so he would leave that part to them. His job was to search for any links to Orochimaru, and try to find where he would strike next.

A small figure was hunched over in the corner.

_ 'That… doesn't look like a dog…' _Some form of subconscious instinct seemed to kick in right then._ 'A… person?'_

Itachi was afraid of what he would find there. The guy he was supposed to be training had stopped in the doorway. He seemed afraid to even come into this room. Itachi didn't blame him.

He stooped over the charred body. There weren't any burns, he'd just been covered in ashes and soot, much like the rest of everything here. The fire had been put it before it had gotten to him. Yet, none of that interested Itachi. He wanted so bad to look away, but the miserable sight drew him in more than ever. It was sick.

A boy, close to his own age but clearly a few years younger, lay in a pathetic heap. He had black hair, but it was oily and matted to his head. It looked tangled. He was barely wearing any clothes, except for a black thong and his own skin. He had a collar on, and he was… _chained to the fucking wall_. He was being kept in a room with the dogs… And he'd been left behind to die in a raging fire. No one cared about this boy.

Itachi took a deep breath, and tried to relax. This was the kind of thing he'd been trained to deal with. Yet, there was nothing he could do to make the feeling go away. He wasn't even sure how he felt, but he couldn't look away from the awful sight.

_ 'Why do I feel… like I can't _breathe_? This shouldn't be so hard…'_

Pein came in behind him. He was the chief of staff in charge of all investigations. In other words, he was their boss. He was making his rounds and checking on everyone to make sure they were doing things by the book.

It had amazed Itachi that someone with their face covered in all kinds of piercings like that could be allowed to be in charge of anything. Despite the way he looked, he had proven himself to be a very capable leader, on numerous occasions. His shiny silver eyes didn't help much. He was pretty exotic looking.

"What in the–" He came to stand right behind Itachi, peering over him as he knelt down. "Is that… _a boy_?"

"Yes," Serious black eyes looked up at him. "He's been left behind. I think he's dead."

The ginger-haired man picked up the small boy's wrist. "He has a pulse. His breathing is shallow. We have to get him to the E.R."

The assistant who Itachi had been teaching turned to leave. "I'll go get help."

Itachi was still staring completely unable to take his eyes off the horrific sight before him. He hadn't moved, and he couldn't remember how long he was sitting there. He was grateful that Pein had come in when he had. He needed someone else to snap him out of his inner panic attack. …If that's even what it was. He had no idea why he was feeling this way.

He was still kneeling in front of the boy, until some paramedics came in and told him to move. They said it was too late for the dogs at the front of the room. He was told the outlook for the boy was good. He wasn't injured that badly. All in all, he had been very lucky.

"Itachi-san…"

"Hn?"

Pein waved a hand in front of his face. "Hello? You've been standing there for a while now."

"Sorry…" He muttered halfheartedly. "I was just thinking…" That was a lie.

"Look, Itachi… We all see things that make us uncomfortable sometimes. That's just another part of the job. Don't let it get to you."

The dark haired FBI agent just nodded. His ponytail had fallen loose, and he looked a mess by now. The investigation wasn't really getting anywhere.

"You should probably go home for the day," Pein gave him a pat on the back.

Itachi nodded solemnly, and decided that maybe he was overreacting and did need a break. He'd get paid the same amount anyway… He sighed, and left the room behind, making his way out of the abandoned building.

The firefighters had put out the blaze before they got there, and left everything as it was. Most of the fire had died down on it's own, however.

"The boy?" One of the firefighters in charge of that area was being questioned. "We thought he was dead. We left him for you guys to… you know… take care of. We didn't want to move any bodies in case they were needed for your investigation."

Kisame, who was in charge of questioning and interrogations, decided that was a valid answer. "Okay… You can go."

Itachi wanted to know why they'd just left him there too. He could have died from the fire, if not for the fact that it had been put out before it had time to engulf him completely. It would be a miracle if he weren't poisoned from smoke inhalation.

But right now, that was none of his concern. He'd been given the day off and he was going to take it. He walked outside, trying to keep himself calm. He went to his car, and once he was inside it, he sat there for a minute to get his bearings. He was in no shape to drive at the moment.  
_  
'That was… That was just terrible… What kind of FBI agent am I if I can't even handle seeing things like that?' _He thought, resting his head in his hands, and leaning onto the steering wheel. _'Why did it bother me so much?' _

He sighed, reaching down to start the car. Itachi drove a black Mazda with red interior. It wasn't the nicest car, but it got him from A to B, and he could afford the insurance on it. It was still nicer than what some people had. He'd always considered himself to be more of a sports car kind of guy, though. He had always wanted to have something nicer but he couldn't afford it on his salary. Oh well…

It was getting late, and he was looking forward to locking himself away in his big empty house. But as usual, nothing went according to plan…

* * *

.

Madara wasn't sure when Itachi would be off. He liked doing things like this; surprising him when no one was around. No one else would ever see this side of him. He'd had a key to the Uchiha prodigy's house for a while now.

He heard the car pull up, and immediately went into Itachi's bedroom… He would wait for him there.

Itachi wasn't exactly tired from working today… It was still only mid-afternoon. But he did feel mentally drained. What he felt he needed was a good distraction.

And he would _not_ be disappointed.

He was greeted with the welcome sight of his lover sprawled out in his bed. Madara was just looking at him, watching his every move as he came into the room. Itachi gave him the cold shoulder at first, removing his suit jacket from work, and taking off his expensive dress shoes. He paused at the mirror, watching the older man while he pulled his hair free from it's signature ponytail.

It had taken him so long to finally figure out why he'd never been too interested in girls. Itachi Uchiha wasn't the type to be particularly interested in anyone… So he'd never noticed his attraction to either gender, or that he even had any kind of preference.

One day, a friend of the family offered him pleasure. He'd gladly taken it, without a second thought. It didn't seem strange to him that he wanted this gorgeous man in his bed.

Thick black hair that hung down his back in unruly spikes, and framed his face... Eyes that were such an intense shade of brown they looked to be almost the same red color that the Uchihas possessed... The man possessed a certain kind of dark charisma that could make anyone want him. He was… in a word, _beautiful_.

He'd invited Madara into his life without even fully realizing it.

It had started out as harmless fun. They would just spend unusual amounts of time together, becoming close friends. Itachi's family never saw anything wrong with it, since they had known Madara for a long time. They never sensed that he might be trying to corrupt their son. Sometimes Itachi wondered if they would have even cared if they did know what was really going on… It didn't matter- he was more than willing to let himself be corrupted, if it meant spending time writhing between the sheets beneath the handsome man.

Things had progressed from stolen touches here and there, to confusing kisses. He was unable to read Madara's signals at first… He'd never known the meaning of lust. But soon enough, he was returning that lust tenfold for the other man. It wasn't long before the two were doing far more than just kissing.

It was more than just that… He actually enjoyed Madara's company. And Madara had made it known on several different occasions that he really liked being around Itachi as well… Even if sex was removed from the equation. They were a unique pair. The two of them just naturally seemed to fit together. They were cut from the same wicked cloth, and that served only to excite Itachi in all kinds of ways. The two liked the same things- sex being the foremost thing on their minds when they were together.

Madara had grown impatient of waiting for his lover to join him. It didn't take long for him to pounce on Itachi, pulling him away from the mirror so fast it made his head spin. They both fell back onto the bed. Itachi landed in Madara's lap, smiling playfully.

"I'm tired of waiting…" The older man rasped in the detective's ear. "Now… I've been here for a quite a well, Itachi-kun. What do you say you entertain me for a little while? Ne?"

Both of their families were of Japanese descent. It was just one more thing the two had in common… Aside from their families actually knowing each other, as well.

"As much as I enjoy our time together, I have more pressing things to consider," Itachi told him in a serious tone.

"Nothing is more pressing than _this_…"

He let Itachi feel the prominent erection that had formed in his pants. Madara moved his hips, just slightly, to emphasize his dirty point. After what he'd just seen, the Uchiha was in no mood to play.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm just not in the mood right now."

"You're no fun anymore," His lover hissed, still talking into his ear in a suggestive tone. "I could make it worth your while…"

"You always do."

Their lips met, crushing together with the force of their need for one another. Soon, Madara slipped his tongue into Itachi's mouth. The two tangled for dominance, with no clear victor. Yet they both know it was the older male who was the more dominant of the two. He'd always been the one to push things to the limit, the aggressor.

Madara wouldn't hurt Itachi. He trusted the older man, even though he didn't always seem very trustworthy. They had been seeing each other for years, and he trusted him enough to give him a key to his house.

Even still, Itachi found himself wondering if there was a way he could get out of this. It didn't look like there was…

As he was being pressed down into the feathery soft mattress, Itachi's only thoughts were of the burned building and the charred, smoke-ridden abused boy he had seen earlier. He wondered if he was okay. Then he wondered if _he_ was okay for thinking about such things at a time like this. He was supposed to focus on his ass being pounded the hell out of by the most gorgeous man he'd ever seen, not worrying about work-related issues.

With a sigh, he took a deep breath to calm himself. Then there was a moan… There was nothing he could do to stop the pleasure once it had started. Soon enough, his mind was taken of the boy and put on other things… Like that thing he could do with his tongue to drive Madara crazy, for instance.

* * *

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**A/N: I giggled so much when I was writing the first paragraphs of this. XD I decided to add even more detail into Itachi's past. I know I haven't described him much, but I wanted to do the story mostly from Sasuke's point of view this time around. Again I want to thank everyone for your support. And yes, Madara's still in the story. I can't please everyone all the time, so I'm sorry if you don't like it. I'm really just writing this to make myself happier with the overall story. And it's working.**

**-Kaline Reine**


	4. Chapter 4

**Dark Puppy  
Story # 0162:  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or anything related to the anime, manga, or series. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator.**

**WARNINGS: ItaSasu fic, Uchihacest, incest, YAOI, etc. It will be graphic, and there will be some very disturbing things in this one. (Adult stuff!) I hope you like it anyway, but if you don't, you were warned. Flames will only be used to make the rest of the story even hotter. ;)**

**Also I want to add that there will also be more Madara X Itachi in this story than in the last one. Sorry but I need them to interact more.**

**

* * *

  
**

**Chapter 4:**

The next morning, he woke up to an empty bed beside him. That sort of thing was expected from Madara. He'd had his fun all day and well into the evening yesterday, and when Itachi had fallen asleep, he'd left.

With a sigh, he realized that he was going to be late for work if he didn't leave. He hadn't even thought to set his alarm clock the night before- he'd been much too distracted for that. Yet, he was still awake at the correct time. It was rare that he wasn't on time for work. His body seemed to be used his usual routine by now.

He had resigned himself to having to deal with tracking down Orochimaru again. It was a task he was not particularly looking forward to. But that was his job, and he was intent on doing it.

The Uchiha found his morning routine being interrupted by visions of that boy… He didn't seem to have a name, at least not that Itachi could remember, and the look on his face had been so peaceful. He had looked so blissful, even as he thought he was being burned to death. It almost seemed like the boy had been glad to die. And after spending so long in such an evil man's clutches, who wouldn't relish thoughts of the sweet release of death?

He had been left there to die whatever horrible fate the fire had in store for him. Whether it was from smoke inhalation, or terrible blisters on his skin from being burned alive… There was to be no escape from the scorching flames.

With a sigh, he cleared the mist away from the mirror after his shower. When he looked at his reflection, all he could see was the terrifying face of the chained boy.

* * *

When he arrived at work, he didn't expect the commotion that was stirring in one corner of the building. Itachi went to see what was going on. He never expected to see Hidan struggling to get a boy into a room.

He felt some unknown force tug at his heart. It was the same boy from before. He looked up, and black eyes met his own deep onyx ones. The confused and helpless teen looked like he was pleading for something. It was definitely a silent cry for help, if Itachi had ever seen one.

He did not know why this boy would interest him so much… There had to be more to this than met the eye. Surely there was some logical explanation. The more Itachi thought about it, the more he wanted to see if he could help. Orochimaru was the case he had been assigned, after all. This was related to said case. Pein would probably insist upon his interaction with the kid at some point. There would be no avoiding it.

"He's already been examined," A tall, slender woman with blue hair approached from behind him. "You're the one who found him, right?"

Itachi didn't answer for several seconds, causing her to look at him a little oddly. He didn't break the strange boy's gaze until he had been lead into another room by Hidan, the medical examiner.

"What? Oh yeah, I was the one who first saw him. Pein-san said that he would file the report, after I went home."

"He did," Konan nodded. "We've been trying to piece together his story. However, we haven't made much progress… We need you to try working with him today."

"Me?" Itachi was instantly on his guard. "Why?"

"To put it simply, you're one of the best investigators we've got, Itachi-san. We thought maybe you could get more information out of him. Give it a try. We haven't had any more leads on Orochimaru, since his last disappearance. So it beats doing paperwork all day long, am I right?"

"I guess so," The Uchiha took a deep breath and went into the room he had seen Hidan lead the boy into.

The gray haired medical examiner turned to him, the moment he had entered the room. He seemed glad to see him, which was always a bad sign when it was Hidan. "So you're here to take the little fucker off my hands, then?"

The boy whimpered pathetically. He had effectively balled himself up in a corner. There was something black fastened all the way around his head, covering his mouth. It looked like the devices they often used to keep mental patients quiet, or to keep them from biting people.

"Off your hands? Hn," Itachi smirked, clearly amused. "Why is he wearing a muzzle?"

"He fucking bit me during the damn examination!"

Itachi seemed somewhat amused by the way the older man was getting so worked up about it. He smiled, and shifted his weight to one side. The boy was watching him with worried eyes. He didn't seem to understand where he was or what was going on. The examination must have been so scary… No wonder he'd tried to bite Hidan.

"This is ridiculous," He reached his hand out to remove the muzzle from the boy's frightened face. He heard a growl, and moved back, with a heavy sigh.

"He's going to need fucking therapy or something," Hidan was still talking and flailing his arms about, obviously making the boy even more uncomfortable. "He thinks he's a dog."

Itachi turned to look at the man, incredulously. "You're serious?" He then turned back to the boy, and despite his protests, unfastened the device from around his lower face. "There, that's better, hm?"

Coal black eyes regarded him with uncertainty. He hadn't done anything bad yet, but the boy wasn't going to take any chances.

"I wouldn't remove that if I were you, Itachi-san…" Hidan sounded distressed. "He already bit me. Be careful."

"That is ridiculous. If we're supposed to be trying to help him believe he isn't a dog, then making him wear a muzzle certainly won't be any help."

Itachi found himself running one hand down the boy's face, as he removed the muzzle. Before he knew what was happening, a set of teeth had clamped down around his fingers. He cried out, as the sharp edges dug into his skin, pressing the flesh flat against the bone.

When he screamed, the young man let go. He backed even further into the corner, and let out a feral snarl. He was unruly and not wanting to trust anyone right now. He was afraid that these men would do the same thing Orochimaru had done to him.

When an animal is cornered, it will have no choice but to fight. And they had him very cornered right now. He was experiencing a primitive human instinct, known as fight-or-flight concept. He would either fight or flee. And since they weren't allowing him to flee… He could only fight them. Seiteki hadn't meant to bite him, but he had to do it.

"Easy there," Itachi was still trying to talk to him. "What's your name? Do you have a name?"

He looked around, wondering whether or not he should trust this person. Grudgingly, he whispered in a voice that was barely used. "S-s-Se-Seit-teki…" When he'd been with Orochimaru, it had been important for him to know certain words. He had to be able to accurately follow commands, so he had to know them. The first word he had learned had been his name, so he would know when they were calling him.

"Seiteki? Is that it?"

The boy nodded, making his back bangs fall in his face. His eyes looked even darker now.

If his name really was what he thought it was, that was going to make Itachi very uncomfortable._ 'Sexy? His name is Sexy?'_

Itachi decided it would be best if they gave Seiteki more time to adjust. "Hidan, I need to know everything you know about him. I'm supposed to be trying to get information out of him. But that's going to be difficult if he believes he's a dog. If I'm going to be working with him on this case, I need to know everything that is known about him."

The medic grabbed a clipboard. "Alright… He's a nasty little fucker who likes to bite people," He chuckled when this earned him a glare from the Uchiha. "He was being used as a sex slave. He has numerous cuts and bruises all over his damn body. Also, they tried to starve him to death. He's really fucking malnourished. And I did a DNA test to try and locate his goddamn family. Happy now?"

"I see… Anything else I should know?"

"The rest is pretty much a fucking mystery. I'll see you around." Hidan left and closed the door behind him.

Now it was just the two of them. Itachi and Seiteki… The boy, who was a stranger to him, just watched him frightfully. Itachi was used to working with rape victims, and other people who were the victims of violent crimes and other types of abuse. He knew the best thing that he could do was to sit and wait. Let the boy get comfortable around him.

He sat down on the other end of a long white bench that was in the plain little room. It was a room that was typically used for questioning people, but they knew they weren't going to get any answers out of this one. He would have to learn to talk first. Itachi was traditionally Japanese, and he was also a master of foreign languages. That was one more reason the FBI had so readily hired him. Teaching someone a new language was his forte'.

He sat for a long while, thinking about how he should go about this. It was obvious that Seiteki would be staying with him for a while. They needed him to work on this case for a while. At least until they were able to locate his family.

"Seiteki, are you okay?"

The boy gave him a blank stare. It was probably a sign that he wasn't used to people asking him this. Maybe he didn't understand. Since Itachi was just sitting there, and not trying to touch him or be near him in any way, Seiteki was tolerating it. He didn't feel as threatened right now.

Itachi decided to try something different. "Come here." He spoke it as a command, which he was fairly sure any dog who had been trained would know to follow.

He hadn't been sure it would really work, but the boy moved closer to him, until he sat by his side on the bench. Seiteki still didn't trust him, that much was obvious. But a dog would not ignore a familiar command. He made it a point not to do anything to the quivering, shaking, frightened boy. Not yet, anyway.

The first thing he needed to do was introduce himself. "My name is Itachi… I-ta-chi." He pointed to himself.

"I-I-t-taa-chi?" His words sounded really weird. But at least it was something.

"Good," Itachi resisted the urge to reach over and pat his head. He might get bitten for it. He needed to work to work gaining his trust first. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

Seiteki looked at him, and nodded then. He seemed to understand, and visibly relaxed a little. Itachi thought he should probably be dressed. This entire time Seiteki had only been wearing a thong. It was indecent, considering

Itachi noticed a small bag had been left behind, after Hidan left. There was a clean change of clothes in it. Someone must have gotten it for him. All of Seiteki's things would have been burned in the fire. He took out the simple blue jeans and plain white T-shirt, taking them to where the boy sat on the bench.

"These are for you," He laid them beside him. "Get dressed."

Seiteki just looked at him.

"You know… Clothes? You wear them," He sighed heavily. Maybe Seiteki was made to go around as he was now. Hidan did say he was a sex slave before. What kind of sick person would want to do that with… a dog boy? He tried to keep those thoughts out of his mind. "Here, I'll help you."

He was surprised that he wasn't attacked when he put the white material over Seiteki's head. The boy remained perfectly still, and tried his best not to move at all. Soon he was looking down at the white shirt he was wearing, in surprise and awe.

Itachi smiled to himself. Maybe there was hope for the boy, after all.

That was about the time Konan, the blue haired assistant chief of the FBI agency, stepped into the room. She had been watching what was going on the whole time, apparently. This room had two way mirrors, and they were all used to other people making good use of them.

Itachi sighed. "How could this happen to someone?" He cast a worried look at Seiteki then. "I mean… How can someone think they're a dog? It's… crazy."

"Not for someone who's been raised that way," Konan attempted to explain. "We've done our research on it. There is something within the human mind that can cause people to behave like animals, if they are treated as one. There have been a few documented cases of people believing they were wolves or dogs, when left to their own devices in the wild. Dogs and wolves seem to be the first thing the human mind will revert to. The second would be primates and such."

"I see," Itachi replied, even though he didn't really understand a word of it. "I'll do my best to get the information out of him. Are you sure Pein-sama is okay with this?"

"Yes, absolutely. He told me to have you take the boy home with you. That would give you more time to work with him. Right now, he is your new case."

He nodded, seeming to accept this news. After the way Hidan had acted, he expected it. It was going to take a long time to figure all of this out. It was highly likely that even after his family had been located, that he and Itachi would continue to have to work together to track down Orochimaru. It was up to him to get Seiteki back on the right track, after his life-long ordeal.

"Alright, Seiteki… Let's go. Come on, don't be afraid…"

* * *

_Later that evening…_

"Where is he?" Pein seemed angry about something.

He was pacing the office floor frantically, and staring at the ground. He had a stern look in his eyes, that said he wasn't going to take crap from anyone right now. Their leader was in another one of his moods, that much was clear.

"Where is who?" The woman smirked wickedly, a knowing smile forming on her face.

"The boy. I needed Seiteki-san for something."

"Oh… He isn't here."

"Why the hell not?!" The Ginger-haired man was going into a rage, which almost seemed appropriate, given that he was the one who had the most piercings out of anyone that worked here. "He was supposed to be- You didn't."

"I sent him with Itachi-kun."

Pein felt like he could slap her, really. "Damn it, Konan! You are supposed to clear things like this with me first. It's going to be really hard to fix this now… We'll have to re-think our plan."

She only nodded, solemnly. She had already played her part. She would stand on the sidelines now.

* * *

**A/N: I really hope this didn't seem too rushed. But I was unbelievably busy over the holidays and then after that I had writer's block. But I somehow did it. I've been worked on this chapter for weeks! Can you believe it's been over a month since my last update? I really feel like I've let you guys down, and I am so sorry.**

**-Kaline Reine**


	5. Chapter 5

**Dark Puppy  
Story # 0162:  
by Kaline Reine**

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or anything related to the anime, manga, or series. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator.

WARNINGS: ItaSasu fic, Uchihacest, incest, YAOI, etc. It will be graphic, and there will be some very disturbing things in this one. (Adult stuff!) I hope you like it anyway, but if you don't, you were warned. Flames will only be used to make the rest of the story even hotter. ;)

Also I want to add that there will also be more Madara X Itachi in this story than in the last one. Sorry but I need them to interact more.

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Chapter 5:

It had been somewhat of an ordeal to get Seiteki into the car. Itachi hadn't realized at first that he'd probably never even been outside before, let alone inside a vehicle.

He moved quickly to fasten Seiteki in. His hand brushed over the boy's lap, and he blushed a little. He was nervous about being so close to him. He was slightly concerned that he would be bitten again, but there was something else bothering him too… It felt _weird_ being in such close proximity to him. Itachi wasn't sure how to handle this… For the first time in a long time, he didn't know what he was supposed to do. His only instructions had been to take Seiteki with him.

"Don't be scared," He smiled, once he'd fastened the younger male into the seat, and made his way to his own side of the car. "It's going to make a loud noise, but it's safe. I promise."

He wasn't sure how much of that Seiteki actually understood… But hopefully most of it was getting through. Itachi noticed the way he trembled and shook. His heart went out to the boy. He didn't understand how anyone could possibly be so cruel as to treat him like a dog.

Seiteki was… He was beautiful! There was no legitimate reason why he should have been treated as anything less than a human being. And yet here he was… cowering in his seat, and looking nervously out the window, as the engine roared to life.

Itachi didn't wait, before shifting the car into drive, and merging out into the street. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a hand reaching for the door handle-

"Seiteki, stop that!" That got his attention.

Wide onyx eyes turned to him. "B-bad?" It was a question.

"Yes. That's very bad. Don't open the door. We're in traffic…"

He knew Seiteki didn't know what traffic was. But soon he'd have to learn all these words. Itachi would-

_ 'No,'_ He told himself._ 'No, I won't. That is a job for his parents. Once we locate his family, everything will be okay.' _

He felt a little relieved, when he thought of how diligent Hidan was. The medic wasn't perfect at his job, appreciating the blood and gore aspect of being a doctor, more than helping people. But he had seemed very disturbed by Seiteki's case. There was no doubt in Itachi's mind that the aging masochist would be right on it. Once the DNA test was complete, it was only a matter of having the rest of the team track down his parents, from the database.

He didn't know how long this other guy would be staying with him. He would probably have to tell Madara about it. There was a lot of adjusting that Itachi would have to do. But there was no legitimate reason that he couldn't keep Seiteki. That is to say, he lived alone, and he had the extra space.

…So why did he have this weird, nagging feeling like something was wrong?

_ 'Why do I feel this way?' _He pushed his thoughts aside, when he heard a frightened whimper from the passenger seat. "Seiteki, it's okay… Don't be scared."

His words seemed to calm the boy down, a little. It was enough, until they reached his house, anyway.

Itachi wasn't rich, but he was pretty well off. His career with the FBI paid the bills, and then some. He was able to afford a nice house, in a nice neighborhood. His yard wasn't that large, but at least it was fenced in, and that was probably good. Itachi had always liked his privacy, and now that he was bringing Seiteki home with him, he was even more grateful for the tall wooden privacy fence that surrounded his property.

The gravel in the driveway crunched under his feet, as he walked around to get Seiteki out of the car. He was terrified, but he seemed to be relieved when Itachi took his seatbelt off. He was relieved enough not to bite him, at least. Within moments, Seiteki was free from the vehicle.

"I'll show you around," He smirked, watching Seiteki, who looked back at him thoughtfully. Itachi wasn't sure if he should take his hand or what… "Come on."

When Seiteki followed, of his own accord, Itachi led him through the door, and into the living room area. The room was big, with only a few paintings decorating the walls. An open doorway on either side of the room led to the kitchen. And only a few feet away from the door, there was a short hall which led to Itachi's bedroom. Directly opposite the two doors, was another long hall. That was where the laundry room and guest rooms were.

The boy was looking around, marveling at everything he saw. Itachi had a lot of breakable things that he was probably going to have to move…

"You can stay here," He pointed to the long dark brown sofa that sat against one wall. "Just sit down, and wait for me."

If there was one word Seiteki understood, it was 'sit'. He sat in the floor, beside the couch. Itachi just smiled at him, but in a way it made him sick.

_ 'Looks like whatever sicko he's been with before had trained their pet to stay off the furniture,'_ Even his thoughts had turned to venom, at this point. _'Bastard. I'd like to tear him a new one.' _

There was no proof that he'd belonged to Orochimaru before, but Itachi was nearly sure of it. Who else could be this twisted? He was known for doing human experiments on people. And Seiteki fit the bill for the most disgusting human experiment ever.

"You can sit here," He patted the couch with his hand, much like one would do for a dog. "It's okay. I'm going to go change, and I'll be back. Wait here and do _not_ move. Understand?"

Seiteki nodded, and sat down in the exact spot where Itachi had indicated. He left the boy to his own devices, just long enough to walk to his bedroom. He couldn't wait to get out of his work uniform! He hated always having to dress nice. And now, he just wanted to be able to relax… He hurriedly took off his clothes, and started rummaging through his dresser to find something more casual.

_ Szzzh! Szz, zzz, zzzzzhhhtt! _

Just as he grabbed a pair of pants, the sound of fabric ripping could be heard. Itachi dropped what he was doing, and ran back into the living room. There was Seiteki, trying to eat one of his couch cushions! He was shredding it with his teeth!

"Those are expensive! Stop it!" He raised a hand to smack the boy, before catching himself. "No, bad!"

He did not miss the way the teen's eyes stared at him. Seiteki leered openly at a certain area of his boxers, and Itachi only hoped that nothing was showing. He'd forgotten he had been in the middle of changing… He did _not _want to know what was going through Seiteki's mind…

Hidan's words from earlier echoed in his head. _"He was being used as a sex slave._" Leave it to that man to be blunt, and to the point.

"I… I'll deal with you later!"

Blushing, he rushed back into his room.

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Several minutes later, Itachi had emerged from his room. After announcing that he would forgive Seiteki, if the boy would forget whatever he had seen, he turned on the TV. Of course, he'd gotten no reaction whatsoever.

"I can't believe you made me blush twice in one day…" He muttered to himself, knowing that the boy probably didn't understand anyway.

His favorite show was on right now, some medical drama about a smart ass doctor. Itachi liked the guy, he reminded him of himself, in a way… Sarcasm and dry wit made up at least half of the show. And he liked how there was always a twist in the plot, every episode. He was so lost in the watching that show, that he failed to notice anything was wrong, for a while.

Seiteki continued to whimper and whine. He'd been fidgeting on the couch for a while, without Itachi really noticing. He was holding his stomach and making a face like he was in pain. Itachi wished that he could tell him what was wrong. Then it dawned on him.

"Are you hungry?" He'd never thought about it before.

He couldn't help but panic a little, when Seiteki nodded. He rushed to the kitchen to make something for them to eat. He had no idea what the boy had been eating, before he'd come here.

Itachi hadn't noticed how skinny he was, until Seiteki started eating. While he was wolfing down his food, Itachi was busy noticing the way that each of his ribs were clearly visible. He had no fat on his body, and he looked like he was half starved to death. It made him angry to see more evidence of what the boy had been through…

That night, he knew that he couldn't leave Seiteki alone. It was true that Itachi had guest rooms in his house, but… He didn't know how he would react to being left all alone in a strange new place. Everything was terrifying and new for Seiteki. He had never been in this situation before. And Itachi wanted to make it as easy for him as possible.

"You can sleep here," He pointed to the bed, yawning and stretching after he'd gotten ready for bed. "Come on, it's okay…"

Seiteki timidly sat on the edge of the bed. His attitude was so submissive at times, but Itachi had already seen that he could be a rebel too. Deep within him, beneath all the scars and bruises, there was a guy with flair; a certain cocky edge. But that wasn't the boy he was seeing now…

Itachi was wearing only a pair of silk pajama bottoms. That was what he always wore to bed, and he wasn't about to change his habits just because he had an unexpected guest.

He'd already considered letting Seiteki sleep on the floor for now… But what about later? What about when they found his family? No, he needed to share the bed with him, to get him used to sleeping in one. And to make sure he was okay… He was trembling in confusion already. What if he got scared? Itachi wouldn't let that happen.

It was clear that Seiteki had no idea what was going on. Judging from the way he was glancing around the room nervously, and watching Itachi closely, he was willing to bet that Seiteki had been taken in someone's bed before. Just… obviously not for the purpose of sleeping.

He smoothed down the bed, moving the covers to the bottom so he could climb in. Then, Itachi turned off the lamp beside the bed. There was a little bit of moonlight filtering in through the blinds… The room wasn't totally dark, but Seiteki still jumped when the light switch clicked off.

"There, it's okay… See? Nothing to be afraid of…"

Itachi wasn't sure if he should even touch Seiteki or not. He was jumpy enough, without outside interference. As it was, he had gotten the message and curled up beside Itachi, to his left.

As the night wore on, and they both adjusted to the new situation, things began to get a little bit better. The two slept peacefully, far away from each other on opposite sides of the bed. Seiteki had curled up into a little ball. He was almost like a cat, that way… Itachi smiled when he woke up in the middle of the night. Right before he fell asleep, he had seen Seiteki sleeping peacefully. But now, the boy was twitching in his sleep and whining pitifully.

_ 'He's having a bad dream…' _

Unable to wipe the smirk from his face, Itachi put an arm gently around his shaking form, pulling him close. Seiteki's whimpering stopped, but his breathing seemed to change.

"Are you awake?" The words were whispered with caution. "Seiteki?"

The boy froze, and his muscles tensed up. He didn't answer. Itachi moved so he could see Seiteki's face. He was keeping his eyes closed and clearly pretending to be asleep.

Itachi wasn't that naive. He could imagine all of the horrible things that were most likely going through his mind. Seiteki had been abused before. He just knew the boy was probably thinking that he would do that to him. Itachi wouldn't. He would absolutely never touch him _that _way…

"It's alright, you know… I'm not going to do anything. You're safe now."

He hugged Seiteki, and the boy jumped, his eyes snapping open in a flash. He'd probably never been hugged before. It caught him completely off guard. But after a few minutes, he settled into Itachi's warmth. He was still tense, but he tried to comply with what the other man wanted.

Soon, they both fell asleep like that. It was almost like they had reached some sort of understanding; some kind of silent mutual agreement.

What Itachi didn't know was that Seiteki was used to following orders. He wouldn't pull away, because he thought he was supposed to obey Itachi. He didn't want to, but he knew he didn't have a choice. Itachi had been kind to him… He hadn't hit him. That didn't mean he wouldn't beat him if he were to disobey, however. Seiteki was not the type to be so cooperative, but he was in a new place, and he was scared. So he tried his best to put aside his thoughts, and just rest, while he was being allowed to sleep…

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It wasn't until morning that Itachi felt the faint stirrings of the boy in his arms. It was very different from waking up next to Madara.

Gently, he moved to brush Seiteki's bangs out of his face. The boy squirmed around, and tried to move out of his grip, then. He seemed startled by the move. Itachi decided that he'd better not do stuff like that. At least not right now… It could be bad if Seiteki got too used to him. He didn't know the boy's family or how he would be treated once he did live with them.

Presently, he looked a mess. His wild ebony spikes were disheveled, and his clothes were hanging off of him messily. Itachi looked him over, and Seiteki shivered beneath the superior gaze. He moved toward him, making him jump. It was plain to see that Seiteki was scared…

He was in a new place, and Itachi knew it would take time to get used to it. The only problem was, once he did get accustomed to staying here, he would be thrown into someone else's home shortly after. But again, Itachi tried not to think about that.

"You're going to need something else to wear…" He mumbled, going to his closet to take a look. "Let's see… I have that… No, it won't work. It's too big. What about… Yeah, that's perfect." He threw a pair of shorts onto the bed. They were a few years old, but they should fit the boy. "And here's a shirt." Carelessly, he tossed it onto the bed as well.

"Now you need a bath," As soon as the words left Itachi's mouth, Seiteki visibly tensed. "Oh come on, it's not that bad. Come with me."

He knew he wouldn't be able to leave him alone in the tub. Itachi had been secretly dreading this, since yesterday. But he would have to face it at some point. There was a small chance that Seiteki knew how to bathe himself… But the odds were not in his favor.

By the time they made it to the adjoining bathroom, Seiteki was fidgeting nervously with the sleeves of the white T-shirt he'd been given at the FBI office building yesterday. Itachi smiled at him warmly, trying to give off as pleasant of an atmosphere as possible. Despite his efforts, the boy still looked nervous.

He started the water, and got out a towel. Now was the hard part… Figuring out how to get him to take off his clothes. Itachi wanted to avoid touching him at all costs… There was no telling what that might lead to.

"Seiteki, take off your- uhh…"

Two cold, black eyes blinked at him in confusion. Scraps of fabric lay on the dull gray-green tiles of his bathroom floor. Seiteki was already undressed. And he stood there, completely nude and at perfect ease with himself.

"Good," He sighed with a strange kind of uncomfortable satisfaction, storing away the dreadful knowledge of just _why_ Seiteki was so calm about this. "Get in." He pointed to the bathtub.

Seiteki walked past him, wincing as he did so, as if expecting something to happen. Itachi remained still, and didn't move until the teen was standing securely on the dark green rug next to the tub. Timidly, he started getting into the water, one toe first, and then his whole foot. He was holding on to the wall for support. Itachi didn't stop him, but he did stay and watch. He wanted to make sure he didn't get hurt. He didn't know enough about him to leave him by himself yet.

Suddenly, the boy's leg moved back, and he yelped as if he'd been burned.

"What is it?"

Seiteki only whimpered in response… "H-hot…" His eyebrows knitted together in confusion. He didn't seem to understand why the water was hot.

"You've never even had a warm bath?" Itachi asked, incredulously. He couldn't believe it. "It's okay. It's supposed to be warm." He put his hand in, and splashed the water around, to show him that it was okay.

He still didn't seem to fully trust Itachi, but he climbed in the bathtub anyway. All Seiteki had ever had before were ice cold baths. Orochimaru liked to use every opportunity he could to be cruel. He soon got used to the idea of the nice, soothing warm water, and settled down.

Itachi gave him a washcloth, a bar of soap, and a bottle of shampoo, but the boy just looked at him. He sighed. "…Guess I was hoping for too much, huh?"

It was true. Seiteki had always had other people to bathe him. Usually it was his master, who incidentally also used every available opportunity to molest him. But as far as he knew, that was his only purpose in life… To be used. He was starting to be even more confused as to why Itachi had not done anything to him yet. But he was certain it was only a matter of time…

The smooth soap slid over his skin, and like magic he was clean. Itachi could not hide his blush at washing this beautiful male. He tried to focus only on the way the rough cloth slid against smooth skin, and not on the fact that the delicious smooth skin belonged to another male, someone he was highly attracted to…

He couldn't really be attracted to Seiteki, could he? I mean, that would make him…

_No better than Orochimaru. _

The words echoed in his head for some time. Itachi blocked them out, focusing on getting the boy clean. Seiteki began to squirm. The lower the cloth moved, the more he fidgeted. Finally, Itachi handed him the cloth, trying to show him what to do. He wasn't going to clean _all_ of him, after all. After a few minutes, and several failed attempts, Seiteki got the hang of it… Though he wondered why the strange man would want him to do this himself. Usually…

No, he didn't wanted to think about _'usually'_.

He had splashed quite a bit of water, in his efforts to avoid Itachi's hands. But now came the toughest part… trying to wash his hair, without getting soap in his eyes.

"Please sit still," Itachi asked, patiently. He was trying to keep him calm. "I don't want this to get in your eyes. It will burn."

Seiteki squirmed around anyway, when the slippery substance first made contact with his scalp. But after a while, he settled down and got used to it. It was obvious that he did not like for Itachi to touch him. Internally, he was panicking, and that was making him shake all over. He wasn't very good at hiding his emotions, it seemed.

Washing his hair didn't take long, and soon it was time for him to get out. Itachi had never thought about the possibility of being soaked from head to toe by the kid. But then, he should probably have known to be prepared for anything.

_'Should have gotten out two towels…' _He thought bitterly.

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**A/N: See? I really have been writing all this time. XD**

I'm really sorry for taking so long to update this story. I was trying to get inspired to write again… For a long time, I didn't feel like working on anything. That's what depression does to people, I guess. Anyway, I'm really glad I decided to pick this story up again. I'm alright with the way this chapter came out. Maybe I am a little rusty, from not writing for a while, though…

-Kaline Reine


	6. Chapter 6

**Sick Puppy (Name has been changed.)  
Story # 0162:  
by Kaline Reine**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or anything related to the anime, manga, or series. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator.**

**WARNINGS: ItaSasu fic, Uchihacest, incest, YAOI, etc. It will be graphic, and there will be some very disturbing things in this one. (Adult stuff!) I hope you like it anyway, but if you don't, you were warned. Flames will only be used to make the rest of the story even hotter. ;)**

**Also I want to add that there will also be more Madara X Itachi in this story than in the last one. Sorry but I need them to interact more.**

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**Chapter 6:**

"Come on," He extended a hand to help the boy up, but Seiteki wouldn't take it. "We have to go get you some clothes."

The boy continued to hesitate, instead choosing to climb out of the tub himself. He was trying to avoid all unnecessary physical contact… Itachi almost laughed at the idea. He wouldn't do anything to him. Nothing like the boy was probably thinking. But the problem was… Itachi found himself thinking of what Seiteki must be thinking, and that was enough to lead to problems on it's own.

Once he had dried Seiteki off, and helped him into some dry clothes, he took a step back. The clothes didn't exactly fit him right… they were too big in some places and clung to him too tightly in others. It just looked weird seeing the boy wear his own clothes.

"You need something of your own to wear…" Itachi thought out loud.

He really should take the boy to the store. He'd managed to talk him into going in the car with him earlier… How hard could it really be to take him shopping?

* * *

Every time someone would pass by, Seiteki would cling to Itachi's side. He still wasn't entirely comfortable with him, but in this even more foreign environment, Itachi was the only familiar element he had. So he understood perfectly why the boy was acting this way.

Soon, they had everything they needed to last Seiteki at least a couple of days… "That should be good enough." Itachi petted him gently when they returned to the car.

The kid was looking around anxiously, probably trying to figure out where they were going next. The ride lasted for a while, until they reached a new building. Seiteki looked around curiously.

Itachi still remembered last night, when they'd had dinner… He'd eaten right from the plate, with no hands, just like a dog. It was sloppy, but effective. However, in public and around other people, it just wouldn't work.

_ 'Well, I guess his family will appreciate me showing him how to eat properly. And there's no other choice, really. Someone has to show him.' _

He leaned down to Seiteki's level. "We're going to eat lunch here, okay? I'm going to help you… Be good."

He just looked at Itachi, nodding slightly before they both got out of the car. They sat down, and as soon as they did, a waitress came over to take their order. He ordered something he thought Seiteki might like. A type of steak cooked with pepper and onions. He decided to get the same thing for himself, only he ordered a salad too. Now, it was just a matter of waiting until their food got there…

It wasn't long before the waitress came back with everything. In the meantime, Seiteki had been glancing around the restaurant nervously. Itachi was glad there weren't a lot of people there today. A big crowd would make things that much more awkward.

Now he would need to explain everything to his companion.

"This is how you hold a fork," He took Seiteki's hand, and tried to show him. It took a few tries, but eventually the boy caught on to what he was supposed to do. "Good job. See? You're doing fine."

Itachi smiled at him then, and the boy's whole face seemed to glow. His lips turned upward in order to return that smile… Itachi was touched. It was the first time he had ever seen Seiteki smile. And it was a beautiful sight.

He found his hands reaching up to greet those upturned lips… Before he knew what he was doing, his fingers were ghosting across the delicate skin. He had the most supple, most feminine lips Itachi had ever seen on a boy. He had to touch them. There was no question, no more choice. Seiteki hesitated at first, but then leaned into the touch, as if enjoying it. He smiled even more…

"Sorry," Itachi caught himself just in time. "I didn't mean-"

"I-it's okay…" Seiteki made an attempt to speak. One could easily tell, if they listened closely enough, they would be able to tell how much suffering and pain he had gone through. He sounded so meek.

And suddenly they weren't just Itachi and Seiteki anymore… They were two people, sharing a moment… A strange sort of bond. But it was Itachi, and not Seiteki, who finally turned away. The two resumed their meal in silence.

There were still lots of things he would have to show his new friend. For the remainder of the meal, he just focused on teaching him the right way to hold and use a fork. Seiteki was getting the hang of it, and he only missed his mouth once in a while. It was kind of cute.

They received a few weird stares from people. But he hoped they would know Seiteki was not exactly normal, and leave them alone. So far, no one had started anything. And it was a good thing too, because Itachi already knew that he would protect Seiteki. It was his job, after all. He was supposed to.

* * *

The rest of the day had been pretty routine, and peaceful. The two were settling in for a quiet evening at home, when Itachi's cell phone finally rang. He hoped it was a call from work, and his eyes lit up when he saw that it was…

"Uchiha Itachi, how may I help you?"

"Itachi-san?" It was Sasori, another agent who worked with him. "This has to be quick. Pein wants you to come in as soon as you can."

He sighed, turning an odd glance toward Seiteki. "Won't this wait until morning?"

"It really won't… I doubt you'll want to wait for this, either. Bring Seiteki with you. We've completed the DNA test, and found his family."

"Of course. I'll see you soon."

With that, he hung up. Seiteki was already standing, waiting to see what was going on. Itachi motioned for him to follow, and after grabbing his keys, they were leaving. He knew Sasori wouldn't call him for nothing. This had to be serious.

On the way there, Itachi couldn't help but be a little sad. Already, he had started to bond with Seiteki… And now he would have to give him up. In some aspects, he really was like a dog. He'd been a nice companion for Itachi, even though he hadn't given much thought to it at the time.

He made a mental note to look into getting a dog in the future. This whole experience had really opened his eyes to the truth… Deep down, he was lonely. And maybe a little lost, too. Perhaps that was why he sought comfort from Madara so often. Loneliness could make people do strange things sometimes.

In a way, he was happy that they'd found Seiteki's family, though. Now they could both get on with their lives. He had spent a little bit of money on the boy, but he was sure that his family could most likely use the help. He would just give him everything they'd purchased today, to take home with him. It would almost be like a memento or something. So things would be fine… He kept trying to convince himself that this was okay.

But there was no longer any time to worry about it. The car trip seemed to be nearly instantaneous. The only thing on his mind right now was his nervousness…

_ 'Why exactly am I feeling like this? It's not like me to be so nervous.' _

"Itachi-san!" Deidara, the easily-excitable blonde man who was in charge of chemistry, forensics, and incidentally DNA tests, seemed to be bursting with energy as usual. "We've been waiting for you, un!" He also had a speech impediment. "Come with me, yeah!"

Sasori, Hidan, and Pein were waiting for them in the small room, with fluorescent lighting, and plain brown imitation wood tables. No one seemed ready to speak yet. Seiteki was clinging to Itachi's side, not knowing what to expect. His eyes darted around the room from one scary-looking man to the next.

Itachi had already picked up on the general feel of the room. The news, whatever it was, had to be something grim. Normally, Sasori was the one to notify people of everything, once he'd found their family. Why did there suddenly need to be four people present just to tell him something? It was very unnerving. The sense of impending doom was not lessened when he met Pein's icy stare. His boss seemed to be really put off by something.

Sasori was the first one to speak. "When Deidara did the DNA analysis, I asked him to check it several times to make sure it was right…"

Itachi just looked at him. Why wouldn't it be right? Seiteki was shifting nervously from one foot to the other. He put his hand on the boy's shoulder to comfort him. From across the room, Pein noticed it and narrowed his eyes disapprovingly.

"Once he'd done that, we didn't have to look very far to find his family… So my job was pretty easy. There's no point in drawing it out any longer," Sasori drew in a deep breath. "Seiteki is… your brother."

Itachi gasped, and took at least three steps back. He had no idea what to do. Seiteki was just looking at him… The boy was confused about what was happening, and why Itachi was freaking out. He probably didn't even know what a brother was.

"My…" He looked at the boy who had shared his home for the past few days. "My brother?"

He didn't know whether to be horrified, or relieved… He had no idea how he was supposed to feel about this. He was horrified at the way his brother had been so cruelly abandoned by their family… The way he was forced to live with one of the most heartless, inhuman criminals they had ever heard of. The way he was used and abused in every possible way by Orochimaru. He was damaged.

At the same time, he felt a strange kind of fulfillment. His entire life, he'd never really given up hope. Even when the trail turned cold, and no evidence was found, he had always secretly believed his brother still lived. Now he knew why.

Every day, he'd gone to work, hoping that somehow he'd do something that would give his life meaning. Now the only question was… _Could he fix his brother? _

* * *

**A/N: I always leave an author's note, even when I don't know what to say. That much was obvious to me, just from reading previous chapters. I know most of you don't know this, but not long ago, I had an accident and hit my head. I am in the process of recovering from amnesia. I do not remember a lot of people or things. I've lost a significant amount of my memory… So that might be why my writing might have changed from what you are used to. I had to read my stories to get an idea of what I was doing before, I did not and still do not remember any of them. …But it amazed me that I had so many fans. I still want to write, but every day is a new set of challenges for me right now. I hope you understand that I am doing this the best way I know how.**

**I didn't really remember the characters that much until I went back and watched some of the show again. And I have been reading other people's fanfics too, that has helped me a lot. I mainly wanted to let you know what was going on, since I post journals and update my page here, but not everyone reads them. So uhm… I hope this was good enough?**

**-Kaline Reine**


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